Ever changing cityscape..

Just like the thousands of tourists who in normal times visit Kings Park I cannot resist a quick shot of the city each time. It almost feels like every click brings a change to the cityscape these days. By now you are used to seeing the Ritz-Carlton and The Towers centre stage above but look what popped into the frame off to the right, the Double Tree by Hilton. So many luxury hotel rooms so few no tourists to fill them.. and the building goes on! Happy Friday, take care and stay safe..

Botanical tall ship..

After a particularly excruciating physio session (my shoulder) early yesterday morning a walk around Kings Park Botanic Gardens was in order to restore my equilibrium. It was a perfect winters morning, the air fresh and crisp. Looking from this angle the sculpture at the entrance to the botanical gardens made me think of a ghostly tall mast sailing ship, sails unfurling, rising up from the sea of native bushes.. do you see it or is it just moi :)

As well as being Perth's top tourist destination Kings Park is rich with Indigenous history, below the Beedawong, meaning 'celebration or meeting place'. I would love to see one of the events in this stone amphitheater, will keep my ears open. Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe..

Herdsman Lake encore..

Despite the tiger snakes and probably many types of spiders and other creepies also if you looked :) a walk around Herdsman Lake, a wildlife sanctuary popular with birdwatchers is always a pleasure. I have so many phobias.. flying, small spaces, deep water, heights to name a few but funnily enough I have no fears walking in the Australian bush. The way I see it is if you are careful and respect the creatures that call it home, it's all good. Would you let the experience I had in yesterdays post put you off, I don't think so right 😉 Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe..

Stay calm and slowly walk away!

Walking around Herdsman Lake yesterday when P touched my arm and said quietly 'don't put your foot down'. There directly where my foot would have stepped.. a tiger snake! I have seen the sign below so many times without really taking much notice, it's only the second time I've seen a tiger snake, one of the most venomous snakes in the world, and certainly have never come this close to being bitten by one. Apparently they are in abundance around the lake, as you can see here. It didn't stop me whipping around from a safe distance and taking a quick shot as it slithered away into the bush.. quite sizable it was! Will definitely take more care in the future :) Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe..

Bus stop birds..

The trip that keeps on giving :) On our way back from the Perth Observatory on Thursday we stopped in Kalamunda for lunch where I spotted, hard to miss, the colourful flock of birds painted on a bus stop.. most of the bus stops are beautifully painted in this area. This just half an hour after spotting the scarlet robin in yesterday's post, I was on a 'birder' roll 😉 Couldn't find a name which is a shame because the colourful aviators here certainly brightened up a dull day. Happy Monday, take care and stay safe..

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Happy Sunday..

Look who landed right in front of us as we got to the car after our visit to the Perth Observatory in Bickley on Thursday! Have to say I was pretty excited because although described as 'common' it was the first time I have seen a scarlet robin. What a pretty little bird it is, if you look a bit closer you will see the whiskers on it's chinny chin chin :) Then in a flurry of tiny wings it was off again 💓 Hope your Sunday is all you want it to be, take care and stay safe..

Searching the skies..

Can you guess by the pic of The Atlas Coelestis above where we were heading on Thursday? If you guessed the Perth Observatory you were spot on. I can't believe that it's our first visit..

The Perth Observatory in Bickley is WA's oldest observatory, entered on the Heritage Register in 2005. If you are interested you can read more about some of the important research that has been completed at the observatory here. I climbed the dome that houses the  Lowell Automated Telescope Dome below, installed the 1970's, to take the overall pic. The collage just a few of the many fascinating objects in the Observatory building. Life on other planets.. absabloominlutely don't you think :) Happy Saturday, take care and stay safe..

Observing along the way..

You might think that we were off on another country jaunt yesterday but actually we were only 23km east of Perth city in Bickley. It's so pretty at this time of the year in the Bickley Valley the winter rains greening up the pastures to perfection. I was surprised to see the Queenslander type of home above. Described as 'a single detached house made of timber with a corrugated roof. Set high with a characteristic veranda that extends around the house to varying extents but never entirely surrounds it.'  Designed to suit the subtropical climate of Queensland I can see how it would suite our hot summers also with the cool air circulating underneath the house. The sun popped in and out all morning, mostly out when we reached our destination, show you tomorrow. Happy Friday, take care and stay safe..

Birthday brunch..

It was mon amie française Marie's birthday yesterday, what better way to celebrate on a beautiful winter's day than brunch under the trees in the gardens of Maison Saint Honore.. did I mention that it is also a macaron factory, a short video to share where we were.  I added a painterly touch to the photo that perhaps I shouldn't have :) original below.  Happy Thursday, take care and stay safe..

Ethereal Welcome Hand..

At Scarborough Beach on Monday a new sculpture to behold. Ethereal Welcome Hand created by Aboriginal Noongar artist Kylie Graham. 'The people of Whadjuk Noongar are the traditional owners of Perth. The Ethereal Welcome Hand sculpture represents a hand casting sand which acknowledges the custodians, the people of Whadjuk and their enduring spiritual connection to the land.' It is a beautifully created sculpture with much meaning, I do hope the thousands of visitors to Scarborough take the time to discover what that meaning is.. #alwayswasalwayswillbe. Happy Wednesday, take care and stay safe..

Winter in Perth..

It's back! The sun that is. We are pretty much right in the middle of winter, today's forecast is 21C. More exciting news is that I picked up my camera yesterday, fixed and ready to go, it's a pity I wasn't :) Heading in to catch some city shots I realized I had left my SD card in my old camera which was in the car. A drive along the coast road home made up for the missed city shots, what a day 🌞 The pics here taken looking this way and that along Scarborough Beach. Happy Tuesday, take care and stay safe..

When in doubt go to the library..

'The only thing you absolutely have to know is the way to the library'.. Albert Einstein.

Children and parents alike will be delighted when arriving at Karrinyup Public Library to see the newly painted murals here by multi talented contemporary Perth artist Peter Ryan whose work you have seen here many times. Titled 'Fishing for Dreams' it couldn't be in a better spot. I believe art shouldn't be locked away in galleries, it should be here, there and everywhere for all to enjoy :) Thank heavens for libraries also, they are a source of information and entertainment for those who still prefer to turn pages but might not be able to purchase on a whim. Hope you had/ are still having a good weekend, take care and stay safe..

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Waiting in the Wings encore..

You might remember this gorgeous sculpture by WA artist Denise Pepper sitting on the bank of the Swan River in Applecross. If you look carefully above you can see a faint outline of the city across the river in the reflection, below framed by the wings a slightly clearer view. Even on the greyest of days there is always colour to be found.. if you are looking :)

 

It is the perfect sculpture for a photo op.. below Aimee on a much sunnier day when it was one of the exhibitions in Sculpture by the Sea back in 2018. When I see pics like this I do hanker after those blue skies :) Happy weekend, take care and stay safe...

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